Ancestral hauntology

If there was ever a trophy for a band name that fitted their sound perfectly it would have to go to Pocahaunted. Especially for the eerie and somewhat beautiful resurrection of the spirit mother on Motherloom taken from their sold out 'Moccasinging' cassette on Not Not Fun (if you ask me this needs to be re-issued like yesterday)

Lizarrd light

Added a few more of my scribbles over at sketchbook centraal.

Raccoo-oo-oon - Is Night People

This was Raccoo-oo-oon's first record (well tape to be more precise) recorded back in 2005, and originally released in an insanely small edition that was unsurprisingly swallowed up by an eager public.

Fortunately for the rest of the world, the Swedish label Release the Bats has gone and done a splendid job of resurrecting it on CD, and going that extra mile by coating it in a gobsmackingly beautiful package that makes the candy inside taste all that bit sweeter. Shawn Reed‘s lush gilded symbolism is set off superbly by the burnt olive stock like ancient rock art rivers of consciousness caught in the light of a dying sun.

The music is an odd mix of shamanic work-outs and tainted indie rock with a slightly catchy rhythm under pinning most tracks. A smearing of tune that wobbles uneasily in the half-light with guitars, drums and choruses that are never too far from the ritualistic. A splattering of quirky/mystical electronics wraps it all up nicely.

Loads of tracks stand out on this short(ish) album, but tracks 2 and 4 really push my buttons. The latter starts off all powwow tomahawk feathers, a mixture of trance like mantra and intoxicating sonic gases that unexpectedly explode in colour as if a carrier bag full of paint had been disembowelled. A morphic tangle of arms reaching for the starry sky amongst a flame-thrown forest glow - I really wanted this one to go on forever. If I had to pick one track, though it would be track two - ‘Uh-oh’ with it’s anthem like beat, spangled guitars and muffled vox that alters into animal calls on a tide of amusing bed spring / pinball electronics - just the ticket to ditch that depressing January vibe, and I’m betting this all sounds even better live.

Uh Oh - Raccoo-oo-oon

Eyes burnin' bright

17 minutes of the eyes in action courtesy of Aaron Stilley's Music for Morons. Revel in the twisted wreckage.

Sure plays a mean pin-ball

Up there in the clouds

The talented Doppelganger gave me this cool Cloudboy inspired number (with a touch of Galactus about it) over the festering season, it's only fair I should give him one of my morphed fleshy constructs in exchange.

EUGENE HÜTZ (Gogol Bordello) & KOLPAKOV TRIO live

pic from www.gogolbordello.com

This looks interesting, may have to taste some gipsy punk for myself, that's if i can convince Mr Olivetti to drive me there.

Gipsy Freedom

I’ve been listening to this a lot lately, one of Wooden Wand & Vanishing Voice’s last embers. This is a mighty fine double, mostly full of head-worming jams that remain with you like a fond memory, but it’s the relatively short spectral ballad of Dread Effigy that really stands out for me. Love the way the Dylanesque core is steeped in a ghostly haze, like a dust covered horizon. The smooth female vocals conjure up the apparitional orange of a setting sun as the reflective twang of the acoustic pleasantly opens you up. January needs more songs like this one.

Looks like one of the collectives myriad splinters – ‘Wooden Wand And The Sky High Band’ won’t be coming over to these shores this February so I’ll just have to wait till the summer to get my live fix.

The Mentex e M.Hausen - One Night

A satisfying listen from Fronha underpinned with simplistic pulsing and loosely rhythmic electronics, that feel like a homage of sorts to the likes of those industrial grandparents – Throbbing Gristle. Not a tired retread mind, but the perfect excuse for inventing new dance moves.